Facial-interface cushion, system, and method for head-mounted displays

A method comprising:

• positioning a foam layer for producing a facial-interface cushion for a head-mounted display between a recessed mold member and an insertion mold member of a mold assembly, the foam layer overlapping at least a portion of a mold channel defined in the recessed mold member and a first end portion of the foam layer overlapping a second end portion of the foam layer;
• forcing the insertion mold member against the foam layer in a direction toward the recessed mold member such that at least a portion of the foam layer is forced into the mold channel defined in the recessed mold member toward a channel bottom surface, thereby forming a shaped foam element comprising a first end portion that is compressed against a second end portion of the shaped foam element between the insertion mold member and the recessed mold member;
• heating the shaped foam element to form the facial-interface cushion by softening the shaped foam element and bonding the first end portion of the shaped foam element to the second end portion of the shaped foam element;
• and
• removing the facial-interface cushion from the mold assembly.